Julie A Carda

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Julie graduated from Creighton University with a major in dance and Theology and taught for several years at an inner-city school in Milwaukee. With a desire to expand her knowledge of the arts and spirituality, she attended St. John’s University in Collegeville and completed a Masters in Theology and Liturgical Studies. Over the years, her quest to merge diverse religious beliefs and practices through the commonalities of love and peaceful living, led her to travel, live, and study with shaman practitioners, herbal healers, Native American medicine women, Buddhist priests and other earth-based spiritual teachers. Through these experiences and experiences with global metaphysical teachings, she learned to honor the eternal source of love in all people.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Fiery Dragon 2012

Like water is known to do, the water year 2011surged, flooded and receded revealing a crudely carved landscape.  This piece of majestic twisted wood in the great lava fields of the Oregon high desert is all fiery dragon energy.  Fire is transformation. 2012 is a fire year in the Dagara tradition.  Notice the lack of postings from last year.  What are the most natural human behaviors to take on when caught up in turbulent water? Take a breath, hold onto something that floats, and move with the current.  I held my breath in 2011, held onto supportive loved ones, and moved. In the beginning of 2012, I started catching my breath.  What I choose now is to do neither. Instead, I breathe and marvel at what has shown up in my life.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Happy New Year 2011!

Welcome the year of Water...Welcome the year of Hope...

Friday, December 31, 2010

Good Bye 2010!

And so we bid farewell to the Earth year...


Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Segment Eleven: Reunion of Yin and Yang

He’d promised to get her when all was in alignment. He’d promised to make the magic so strong that only she could break the spell. That’s why he hadn’t touched her. He’d pledged to keep his energy separate until she was ready. She had to initiate the contact.

The combusted heat from her core burst through her hands, feet, and scalp. She leaned in and brushed her lips across his. He moaned. She pressed closer, wanting nothing more than to consume him. He opened to her hunger. She traced his lips with her tongue and slipped deep inside him.

Thunder crashed and the building trembled. She drew back by mere inches. Their chests heaved. She nuzzled his smoothly- shaven cheek. The subtle scent of crushed pine needles reminded her of his past. Streaks of blue and orange light enveloped them. Without knowledge of movement, she was standing with him. In the wake of the electrically-charged air, she clung to him, her arms entwined around his neck, his around her waist. He placed his forehead against hers.

“You found me,” she murmured. Incredulity filled her mind. Her soul rang with ecstasy at finding her other half.

“We’re complete,” he said. “Are you ready to merge?”

“I’ve been ready an eternity.”

Foreheads touching, she blended her energy with his. The couch, the floor, the building disappeared. Angelic harmonies sang out. Blue light swirled, prickling her skin, releasing her human cell structure from the strict confines of physical form.

Clinging to him, she curled her naked toes in the rain-slogged grass while water from above poured over them. Air whirled and heat engulfed them. The long awaited transition combined their souls. Nature danced in elation as her ethereal light blended with his and shot skyward like a roman candle exploding to become one with the heavens. After the assault, the clouds scudded away.

The clear star-sprinkled sky sighed at the earth below. In the village, a pine-scented breeze wove through the narrow corridor between houses and spun the wind chimes outside an abandoned gray stone building. A villager on his way to his fishing boat glanced upward. He smiled at the sound of the chimes striking the ancient grey stone wall, thankful the hurricane winds and torrential rain had blasted the rusted metal so that it once again rang out sweet sounds of joy.


Copyright 2010: All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or unknown, in any information storage or retrieval system, or for any other use without express permission from author is forbidden.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Segment Ten: Reunion of Yin and Yang

She removed her heavy rubber boots, then crossed the room in stocking feet to the love seat positioned before a simple gray stone fireplace. As she sat adjacent him, a log snapped and released a brilliant blue spark.

She turned to study him and sucked in a breath. “You need to understand that your contract doesn’t contain my real name.”

“I know.”

The gentle timbre of his voice quelled her shock. She gulped back the constriction in her throat. “Are you also a psychic?”

“In a way.”

Katherine held her back rigid, her muscles contracting like a corset squeezing any remaining oxygen from her lungs. She took in his composure. Solid, confident. Gray Stone had positioned himself in the opposite corner of the loveseat, an arm draped along the gentle curving back, the other resting on the padded armrest. Her curiosity battled fear. How good was he? She had to know.

“Say it.”

“What?”

“My real name.”

“Celestine.”

The air in the room swirled about her face, fanning her skin. Intense heat raced into her extremities. A magnetic current drew her toward him. The satin fabric on the couch aided her approach. He didn’t break eye contact with her but neither did he move a muscle.

From her peripheral vision she caught the flare of the flames. Blue streaks infused the bright orange, then seemed to thread outward reaching toward her like long probing fingers. She blinked to clear the illusion.

She stopped inches from his face. Nostrils flaring, he took a breath and held his confident position. Was he afraid of her? Had she turned the tables?

“Say it again.”

“Celestine,” he whispered.

Her heart swelled. Time collided-past, present, future.

“It is you!” the breathy whisper escaped her parted lips.


Copyright 2010: All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or unknown, in any information storage or retrieval system, or for any other use without express permission from author is forbidden.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Segment Nine: Reunion of Yin and Yang

Katherine’s ears hummed. A vitality she’d never known existed coursed through her blood. Whatever had happened here in the last hour had taken her away from the brainless desperation she’d felt for the past year. Wasn’t this what she’d hoped to find when she’d answered the ad? A distraction from her internal absurdities? She shifted her focus to the room and the window displaying a darkened street beyond.

So what if he could create the illusion of darkness? Magic always had a simple explanation. The rain that continued to pound the roof and spatter the windows provided adequate comfort and grounding in reality. She drew satisfaction that his magical abilities didn’t include changing the weather.

One thing that hadn’t been stripped from her identity was her curiosity. From what she’d witnessed thus far, Mr. Stone had a phenomenal gift for magic to rival any Los Vegas act. Maybe he would reveal his proprietary secrets. Maybe his secrets would afford her the luxury to leave her turbulent, mind-numbing past behind once and for all. Illusion after all was the life she lived as well. Lord knew her brain needed something other than watching fishing boats come and go each day and as for the practical matter of money...the meager funds left in her possession weren’t going to support her much longer. To run away or stay? Was fear to be her constant companion? Her pressing question in the moment was either control it or be controlled.

She tapped her index finger against her lips. Besides his invigorating mental repartee, the idea of becoming an intimate partner with him lured her internal ache to feel whole. The town was small. So far nobody else had shown the least interest in getting to know her. One thing for sure, it wasn’t like she needed to move at lightening speed to get to know him. She’d probably be staying for eternity.

Mr. Stone coughed, then smiled. She’d been staring in silence at some fixed point on the wall. A stance familiar to her after months of standing at her window watching the horizon change from day to night. His brown-eyed gaze warmed her skin like the heat from the sun.

In that moment, he seemed to swallow her. The faint twinkle in his irises, dispelled the passion of his intent and brought her a soothing balm. Even before her identity change, no man had looked upon her with such desire. Who was she to turn down an opportunity to change her misfortune? Perhaps this man was, at the very least, worthy of a conversation.

The problem was her background. If he could see into her with such intensity, he’d know where she veered from absolute truth into fabrication. But then, he held his own magical secrets to be used as collateral in the partnership. He trusted her, though lord knew why. Could she trust him enough to reveal her past? Enough to perhaps kiss him, enough to be...a lover?

Only one way to find out.

Copyright 2010: All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or unknown, in any information storage or retrieval system, or for any other use without express permission from author is forbidden.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Segment Eight: Reunion of Yin and Yang

“Men and women don’t get intimate after a few minutes of introduction.” She blew upward at a strand of dry hair which had fallen over her eyes. The sudden puff lifted the feather light fringe.

“Perhaps my observations of your culture are skewed.” The room had become warm. He removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie while maintaining eye contact.

“Well, naturally there are exceptions. But I’m not one of those exceptions.” She crossed her arms and looked away.

“No, I can see you’re put together wrong.”

She whipped her gaze back to meet his. “What do you mean by that? You don’t think I have the right equipment to put out?”

Now he’d insulted her. He furrowed his brow. “What is this expression, ‘put out’?”

Through closed lips, she released a breath which resembled a huff. “It’s a term having to do with sexual interaction.”

“Well then, I believe,” he said, shaking his finger side to side, “No, I know you’re equipped to put out just fine.”

“This is the most ridiculous conversation I’ve ever had. You’ve completely side-tracked me. And, don’t think I don’t know what I’m talking about. This room changed-again-and I want to know how you’re managing such a feat.”

“Magic,” he said.

“Well I know that. I just want to know how.”

“You can’t know that until we know each other more intimately.”

“Arrrrh.” She shook her fists at the ceiling and scrambled to the coat stand. “Now we’re back to the beginning of this whole mess. I’m out of here.”

He slapped his palm over the raincoat and hook. “Listen, Katherine, I seem to have gone about this in the wrong way. I’m not about to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. For my part, I’d like to pretend this conversation hasn’t happened and begin again. If you’d like to do the same, please join me by the fire. If not....”

He shrugged and walked away.


Copyright 2010: All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or unknown, in any information storage or retrieval system, or for any other use without express permission from author is forbidden.